Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Okay, so I have this "cage" made out of plexiglass. It's not really a cage, but I want to make it one. I think it was a case to hold/display tools or something. My Dad found it in one of our shops. You can see it in the picture so I don't have to describe it, but my question is where should some ventilation holes go and how many should there be? I was going to have my Dad cut some holes and then cover them with some screen or mesh, I'm just not sure where. And also, it's not going to be for a beardie (it's much too small) I just thought maybe someone here could help.
Thanks!

It's dementions are 18" by 24" by 24" and if my calculations are correct, it's equivalent to about a 40 gallon aquarium.

and one more picture...

In general, I'd say that ventilation holes should be low on the cool side and high on the hot side. Plexiglass stinks with dragons anyway. Even the spikes on their sides scratch it as they scrape against it. I use plexiglass doors temporarily while glass is being made and they look lousy in less than a week.

Okay, thanks! One more question, it has two levels, could you make the upper level the cool part and the lower level the hot part. I'd be using an undertank heater, because my Dad said a heat lamp might melt the plastic and/or cause fumes. The hot air would rise, right? So then if you had vetilation holes on the top would that make the upper level cool enough?

Thanks!

Well, I'd recommend against it. The only possible way would be to have the hot part on the top but I'm not sure the dragon would understand that he has to go down the basement to get cool. Plus, UVB will not pass through plexiglass so you'd have to have a UVB light inside the enclosure on each level.

alright, so I'll just do the hot cool thing on the bottom with the ventilation holes like you said. But, will I need any ventilation on the upper level?

Thanks so much for all your help!
Emily

I can't answer your question with authority. I always have to test all my new enclosures and figure out what works.

I wouldn't bother using that cage for a bearded dragon. It isn't practical at all as it would last maybe a couple months for a baby bearded dragon then you will need to get it a bigger cage of 4'x2'x2' or bigger for a single bearded dragon.

What I would use that cage for is crested geckos, gargoyle geckos, red eyed tree frogs and other smaller arboreal species of lizards, geckos or amphibians. It may be ok for some snakes as well.

If you kept the divider in (I am assuming the total size of the cage is 24"X24"X18" instead of each section being that size) you could house single crested geckos per section, dart frogs and other small lizards, maybe some very small snakes. I would remove the divider completely myself and use the cage for crested geckos, maybe a breeding group of one male and two or three females. Or you can keep the divider in and have two crested geckos (may be good to do th is with a couple juvies till they are old enough to sex then if you have a male/female or female female group, you can remove the divider and have them housed together.

If both sections are the stated dimensions, then it may be ok for a bearded dragon for a little bit but the all plexi glass makeup will not do very well for too long anyway.

If you do want to use it for a bearded dragon baby temporary, I suggest cutting out a large opening on the top and replacing with aluminum screen so you can place a hooded light fixture for a heating bulb and and either mount a small under cabinet fixture underneath the lid *beside/behind the basking spot but stretching as much as the total length of the cage as possible). Remove the florescent tube the under cabinet fixture comes with and replace with a UVB tube. Don't put on the plastic cover that usually covers the bulb on the under cabinet fixture. This will just block all the uvb light rays and most of the light anyway.

You probably can screw the fixture directly to the plexiglass top, inside the cage (pre drill and use a nut to secure the screw or you can use a board instead and just cut a hole in the top big enough for the fixture, so the bulb is shinning into the cage. I will also orient the cage so the height is 18" thus giving you 2'x2' of floor space, which is better for bearded dragons than height. Also, just remove that divider, you won't need it for a bearded dragon anyway.
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PHLdyPayne